Oak Forest reconsiders senior housing

July 21, 2001|By Janice Neumann. Special to the Tribune.

Plans for a five-story, 85-unit apartment building for senior citizens that was rejected by the Oak Forest City Council in September have been resurrected by a Chicago developer. But this time, the complex appears headed for approval.

The development proposed for the southwest corner of 149th Street and Cicero Avenue was endorsed earlier this month by the city's Planning and Zoning Commission. The City Council is expected to approve the plan in August. The reason for the renewed optimism: Two aldermen on the council who opposed the project last year were defeated in the April municipal elections. Their replacements say they favor the complex.

Also, the city faces a lawsuit by Michael Rosenstein, owner of the property. He contends the council had no valid reason for rejecting the building last year, other than the desire of some aldermen to keep the site available for retail development.

The lawsuit asks the court to order the council to reverse its September decision.

The council is expected to vote again on the building at its Aug. 24 meeting.

During the Planning Commission's hearing, four representatives from the development firm Alden Realty Services Inc. of Chicago presented their plans for the project.

The building would consist of 74 one-bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom apartments, they said. Also, there would be an apartment unit for a maintenance person, they said.

Rents would range from $465 to $695 a month for the one-bedroom units and from $725 to $795 for the two-bedroom units, the representatives said.

The building also would include two elevators; a community room with a kitchen; a game room with a billiard table and card tables; a library with a fireplace; rooms for arts and crafts; and an outdoor patio.

The building's property manager, who would be at the site on weekdays, would organize parties, classes and outings for residents, the representatives said.

Also, the complex would contain 86 outdoor parking spaces, they said.

The representatives emphasized that the building is designed solely for seniors. Residents would need to be at least 62 to rent a unit, they said.

Several senior citizens from Oak Forest told the commission that they were angered when the City Council rejected the development last year. They said April's passage of an Oak Forest referendum question concerning the complex proved that most residents support it. The vote in favor of the project was 3,948 to 1,722.

"We need it for those seniors who are less visible," said Pat Finlay, coordinator of Oak Forest's Senior Bus Commission and former coordinator of the Oak Forest Senior Center.

Even some seniors who had originally opposed the development told the Planning Commission they have changed their minds after taking a closer look at the plans.

"It's something we drastically need and the need is worsening," said Don Beaty, chairman of the city's Senior Citizens Commission, adding that he and other seniors got a clearer picture of the plans when Alden representatives presented them at the group's June picnic.

"I think there are somewhat better locations in Oak Forest [for the complex], but this is much better than nothing at all," Beaty said.

City ordinances required that plans for the development be first approved by the Planning Commission because the developers are seeking variations in Oak Forest's zoning laws. Plans call for the complex to be taller than city code allows, and the number of parking spaces would exceed the code limit.

All seven members of the commission endorsed the project. But one of them, Kevin Burns, voted against the height variation because he said the building would not be uniform with surrounding buildings.